The present invention relates to a method for packing a solid, in particular a foodstuff into a container such as a bottle.
The present invention also concerns a device to that effect.
A more particular subject of the invention is to perfect the packing of solid foodstuffs in powder, grains or granules, in leaves, fragmented or non-fragmented, or also constituted by berries or fruits, with the aim of better preserving them, in particular with respect to their aromatic quality.
The creation of a vacuum or a controlled atmosphere in a container above the liquid contained within it, before sealing the container is known from a number of documents, for example FR-A-2 290 356, WO-A-94 25 347, FR-A-2 394 452, EP-A-0 022 084, GB-A-2 322 851, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,658,566. In the majority of cases, a bell-shaped element is placed around the upper region of the container. The free edge of the bell-shaped element carries a sealing element which presses on the outer wall of the container in such a way as to create inside the bell-shaped element a vacuum chamber which communicates with the interior of the container via its filling opening. Part of the air which it contains is evacuated from the bell-shaped element, and in particular the air found in the container above the level of the liquid. After creation of the desired partial vacuum, a sealing device provided in the bell-shaped element is used to place an appropriate sealing cap over the opening of the container. The sealed container is then extracted from the bell-shaped element then taken to the next handling station. During this time, the sealing device is re-supplied with a new cap and a new container to be sealed is placed in the bell-shaped element.
Documents U.S. Pat. No. 2,496,877 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,222,153 propose the application of vacuum packing to solid substances such as powdered coffee. To avoid the powder being aspirated at the same time as the air during creation of the partial vacuum, a sieve mounted in a ring which is applied to the free edge of the neck of the container is placed over the opening of the container. However, it should be noted that, in practice, solid particles or debris from the filling substance have a tendency to rest on the surface of the container which is intended to create a seal with the cap. This surface is in principle constituted by the free peripheral edge of the neck of a container manufactured in the form of bottle. Such debris or particles then have the effect of preventing the tight seal of the bottle, or in any case of shortening the life expectancy of the seal.
The purpose of the present invention is more particularly to remedy this specific problem of vacuum packing solids in containers such as bottles.
According to a first aspect of the invention, the method for packing a solid substance, in particular a foodstuff, presented at least in part in the form of powder, grains, whole or fragmented leaves, berries, small fruits and the like into a container such as a bottle, a method in which after filling the container, when the container has been placed in an enclosure under vacuum, part of the air which is initially present in it is evacuated from this enclosure, and from the container via its opening, then the container is sealed, characterized in that after said evacuation and before said sealing the free edge of the opening is wiped to clear it of any fragments originating in particular from said substance.
This wiping makes it possible to eliminate from the free edge particles or other debris that could have settled there either during filling or following it.
It is particularly advantageous to use a protection ring which is placed on the free edge of the opening during evacuation of the air from the enclosure as a means of wiping.
This protection ring prevents debris or particles from settling on the free edge of the opening during the suction process.
After evacuation and before sealing the ring is moved from its active position on the free edge of the opening to a retracted position approximately situated in the plane of said free edge to carry out wiping.
Moreover the aforementioned ring can be used as a mount for a sieve.
According to a second aspect of the invention, the device for sealing a container such as a bottle under vacuum, for the implementation of the method according to the first aspect, comprising:
a vacuum bell-shaped element combined with a means of suction;
a support for the container;
means of relative displacement between the bell-shaped element and the support between an open position allowing the delivery of a new container to be sealed and a closed position in which a tight enclosure is created in the bell-shaped element communicating with the interior of the container via an opening in the container;
a means of sealing taken into the bell-shaped element opposite the opening;
a cleanliness element which is moveable inside the bell-shaped element between an active position adjacent to the free edge of the opening of the container when the bell-shaped element is in the closed position, and a retracted position allowing sealing,
is characterized in that the cleanliness element comprises an element for wiping the free edge of the opening before sealing.
The cleanliness element can for example be a wiper similar to a car windscreen wiper, or also preferably, as mentioned above, a ring. Advantageously the ring is found opposite the opening of the container when it is in the process of being attached to the bell-shaped element, and simply comes to bear axially against the free edge of the opening at the same time as the bell-shaped element reaches the closed position. In this way, the ring can press considerably on the free edge without at any time having to xe2x80x9cmountxe2x80x9d the free edge by a wiping movement which goes from the retracted position to the position of contact with the free edge. The only wiping movement is that which goes from the position of contact with the free edge to the retracted position. Wear on the wiping ring is thus minimized.
Other features and advantages of the invention also emerge from the description below, which relate to non-limiting examples.